Process for purifying explosives



Patented June 24, 1930 PATENT OFFICE DEAN M. JACKMAN', OF KENVIL, NEWJERSEY PROCESS F 3 PURIFYING EXPLOSIVES 1W0 Drawing.

Application filed July 24, 1925. Serial No. 45,981.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT or MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL so, 1928; 3700. a. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon,

5 This invention relates to a process for purifying explosives.

In the purification of explosives by recrystallization from solvents, Ihave'discovered that the solution may be washed to remove acids andother ingredients by a cleansing agent which does not combine With theparticular solvent employed.

Certain substances such as toluene, benzene, xylene, carbontetrachloride and others, which are good solvents for various explosivesare insoluble or practically insolu-' ble in water'and, consequently, Imay conveniently employ water as a cleansing agent.

In general, the process consists in dissolving a suificient amount ofthe explosive in a solvent to form a solution of suitable con centrationat a temperature which is near the boiling point of the solvent. Thissolution is then brought into contact with a cleansing agent previouslyraised to the approximate temperature of the solution and the whole isthen agitated so that a thorough washing effect is obtained. Thecleasing agent ma be drawn off and the operation repeated 1n this manneras often as desired before crystallization is allowed to take place.

As a specific example of my improved process a solution of tetryl ismade by dissolving a proximately 25 parts of the crude tetryl in 5 partsof toluene. This solution which is at a temperature of approximately theboiling point of toluene (110 C.) is agitated'in a closed vesselprovided with a re- 40 flux condenser with an equal volume of water at atemperature of 80 to 85 C. The agitation is then discontinued and thewater and the tetryl solution are allowed to separate,

. which they do readily. This washing operation may be repeated as oftenas desired or the temperatures used will be determined by 5 theparticular explosive or I claim:

1. A process for purifying a normally solid aromatic nitro explosive comound insoluble in water which consists in orming a solution of theexplosive compound in a solvent which is practically insoluble in waterand agitating the solution with a substantially equal volume of water ofapproxisolvent.

matelly the same temperature as the solution. '5

process for purifying a normally solid aromatic nitro explosive compoundinsoluble in water which consists in forming a solution of the explosivecompound in a solvent which is practically insoluble in water andwashing the solution with water .of approximately the same temperatureas the solution. a

3. A process for purifying a normally solid aromatic nitro explosive comound insoluble in water which consists in orming a solution of theexplosive compound in a solvent which is practically insoluble in waterand washing the solution with a substantially equal volume of water.

4. A process for purifying. a normally solid aromatic nitro explosivecompound insoluble in water which consists in forming a solution of theexplosive compound in a solvent which is practically insoluble in 85water and washing the solution with water.

5. A process for purifying tetryl which consists in forming aconcentrated solution of the tetryl and a solvent substantiallyimmiscible with water at a temperature which 00 is near the boilingpoint of the solvent and agitating the solution with a substantiallyequal volume of water of approximately the same temperature as thesolution.

6. A process for purifying tetryl which consists in forming a solutionof twenty-five parts of tetryl and seventy-five parts of a solventsubstantially immiscible'with water, maintaining the solution at atemperature approximately the boiling point of the solvent, addingan-equal volume of water of approximately the same temperature as thesolvent, agitating, and then separating the water and solution.

DEAN M. JACKMAN.

